JM Press Checklist: Build Big, Strong Triceps The Right Way

If you’re looking to improve your triceps size and strength, look no further than the JM machine. It develops triceps strength like few other exercises, making it a favorite among serious lifters looking for horseshoe triceps or a better bench press.

But there’s a catch: The JM machine is often underrated for its technical requirements. It’s not a regular triceps extension or press. It’s a mix. Small details like elbow position, bar position, and contact area make a big difference. Remember them, and your elbows will thank you.

This checklist breaks down those technical steps so you can get the most out of this lift. Learning each step may feel slow, but with repetition, it becomes automatic. If it does, the JM machine becomes an excellent tool for building triceps size and improving your bench press.

The Ultimate JM Press Checklist

Locking down your setup and knowing where your body is will give you more confidence to build the triceps of your dreams.

Step 1: Bench Posture

The JM press targets the triceps, but like any bench-press-type movement, you start with your body position on the bench. A stable position keeps your elbows and the bar’s path predictable from rep to rep.

1. Lie back so that your eyes are below or slightly behind the bar
2. Keep your head, upper back, and glutes connected to the bench
3. Set your background as your main point of contact
4. Maintain a small natural arch without burning your ribs

Internal reference: Feel your back heavy on the bench. External cue: Eyes under the bar.

Trainer tip: If you are changing or adjusting after setting your scapular base, stop and lock it.

Step 2: Foot Position and Leg Drive Setup

The JM press does not require aggressive leg drive, but your lower body still needs to be stable. Incorrect foot placement affects the upper body, making it difficult to control the direction of the bar. Think of your legs as anchors because they keep everything above them strong.

1. Plant your feet firmly on the ground
2. Place the feet where you can maintain constant downward pressure without hip movement.
3. Keep your knees slightly outward for better stability
4. Apply tension to the floor while keeping your hips on the bench

Internal reference: Feet planted, knees out. External reference: Dial down.

Trainer tip: If you feel your feet or hips flexing at any time, you are probably using too much leg drive.

Step 3: Grip Width and Hand Position

Grip width is important for elbow tracking, bar technique, and the amount of tension created. Too wide, and it turns into a bench press, or too narrow, and your wrists and elbows will tell you about it. Your proper grip width allows for better control and, hopefully, bigger triceps.

1. Hold slightly lower than your normal bench press
2. Keep your hands even—use the knurling as a guide
3. Place the bar down in the palm of your hand, not on your fingers
4. Start with your wrists stacked on top of your elbows, but allow a slight deviation as the bar follows the face.

Internal reference: Grasp the bar in your hands. External cue: Bend the bar.

Trainer tip: If your wrists hyperextend or you can’t control them, reposition and reset your hand position.

Step 4: Upper Body Strength

The JM bench press does not require a powerlifting pull-down, but it still requires a stable upper body. Think of this as controlled stability: you want enough tension to guide the bar without restricting movement.

1. Set your shoulders slightly down and back
2. Keep your ribs in line with your hips
3. Engage your lats slightly to create a more stable you

Internal reference: Tension your lats and outward direction: Press the oranges into your armpits

Trainer tip: If you feel like you still can’t control the bar, your upper body is not set. Reset your tension before continuing.

Step 5: Breathing and Brace

Strong breathing and a brace keep your spine strong and your elbows in the best position to lift. Breathing and a brace keep your upper body stable so the front runners can do their job.

1. Take a deep 360° breath
2. Feel the air in your belly, sides, and lower back
3. Arch your spine as if preparing to take a punch

Internal reference: Take a deep breath before moving. Foreign index: Key in.

Trainer tip: After you finish the rep, reset your breath and brace.

Step 6: Elbow area

Correct elbow position is a make-or-break step. This position creates the unique mixed movement pattern that makes the JM press so effective—part compression, part extension. Get this right, and your triceps will thank you.

1. Place your elbows slightly in front of the bar, not wide and not tight
2. Slow down their side-to-side motion throughout the rep as your elbows move slightly forward.

Internal reference: Elbow grip External direction: Point your elbows toward your feet.

Trainer tip: Do you notice excessive elbow movement, too much weight, or a loose setup? Reset and control before continuing.

Step 7: Bar Method and Touch Point

The JM press is about the bar method. Lower it like a bench press, and you lose the emphasis on the triceps. Lower it like a skull, and elbows say no. The middle area is a controlled, diagonal path. This short, angular range of motion enhances the performance of the JM press.

1. Down to the bottom of the throat/upper chest junction
2. Let the bar drop towards your face, then ‘squeeze’ the elbows into a shortened range before returning back.
3. Touch somewhere between your upper chest and chin/throat area

Internal reference: Feel the tension in your triceps.External cue: Bring the bar toward your face.

Trainer tip: If the bar goes down to your chest or near your forehead, your bar technique is off. Reset and focus on a strong, direct path.

Step 8: Green Light Checklist

Before lifting, take a quick second and run through this checklist.

1. Planted feet
2. No excessive leg drive
3. Hold tight and balance
4. The wrists are folded over the elbows
5. Elbows slightly forward and fixed
6. Lats & shoulder blades are slightly engaged
7. The brace is locked, the ribs are controlled

If everything feels tight and under control, you’re good to go.

Common JM Press Mistakes Hurting Your Progress (Fixing)

Since JM press is a hybrid operation. mistakes happen. Clean them up, and you’ll feel them where they should—your triceps.

Turning it into a Skull crusher

The elbows go back, and the bar goes over your face like a traditional extension.

Fix: Bring your elbows slightly forward and keep them still. Imagine “holding onto your elbows and guiding the bar in a circular path to your upper chest.”

Converting it to a Close-Grip Bench Press

The bar goes down toward your chest, and you press it like a close-grip bench press.

Fix: Move down to the neck/upper chest, then press back over your shoulders.

Allowing the Elbows to Come Out

Elbows drift, moving the load to the chest and shoulders.

Fix: Bring your elbows forward slightly before the first rep, and keep them there. Use a lighter weight if you can maintain it.

No Eccentric

The bar falls too quickly, causing excessive elbow motion and loss of tension.

Fix: Lower the eccentric. Think “your way down.” If you can’t control the bar, the weight is too heavy.

Wrapping up

The JM machine can blast your triceps and improve your bench—but only if you nail it. Control the descent. Adjust your elbows and own the way of the bar. Train it right, and your abs and triceps will show results.